Gauging Star Birth: Spacecraft uses gamma rays as stellar tracer

By detecting the radioactive remains of material hurled into space by dying stars, astronomers have estimated that, on average, our galaxy churns out seven new stars each year.

STAR HUNTER. The INTEGRAL spacecraft records gamma rays from the material expelled by exploded stars. ESA

The researchers used the European Space Agency’s INTEGRAL spacecraft to record gamma-ray light, which is high-energy radiation undetectable from Earth’s surface.